This invention relates to water meters. More particularly, this invention is relates to articles and assemblies adapted for protecting water meters and their housings from damage resulting from impacts or weathering.
A common water meter assembly for measuring water flow through large water pipes (for example, a ten inch water pipe) comprises a tubular support column having an annular meter mounting flange or base extending laterally outward from its upper end. The tubular support column typically has saddle-shaped pipe mounting bracket at its lower end. The tubular support column houses an rotary actuator cable which extends downwardly from the saddle bracket and through an aperture within the wall of the water pipe, the upper end of such cable extending upwardly above the annular base. An impeller assembly operatively connected to the lower end of the rotary actuator cable variably or intermittently rotates in response to varying and intermittent water flow within the pipe, while a geared metering mechanism mounted upon and operatively connected to the upper end of the rotary actuator cable records rotations, resulting in metering of such water flow. A plastic or metal housing fitted for covering the geared meter mechanism is typically provided, a lower end of the plastic housing typically being annularly and outwardly flanged, such flange being abuttingly mounted upon the annular base.
A drawback or deficiency of the above described water meter assembly is that typical lid and mounting flange components of such housing commonly imperfectly seal the housing""s interior pace, allowing moisture from rain or ice build up to undesirably encroach inward. Moisture within such housing undesirably results in degradation of mechanical elements housed therein. Another drawback or deficiency of such common water meter assembly is that its housing, when made of plastic, may degrade over time as result of exposure to ultra-violet light. Another drawback or-deficiency of such common water meter assembly is that its housing and the contents of the housing may become damaged as result of impacts from objects such as hail stones striking the housing.
The instant inventive water meter cover solves or ameliorates all of the drawbacks and deficiencies discussed above by providing a mechanically simple and economically constructed water meter cover, such cover incorporating structure which dually performs a weather sealing function and an annular clamp mounting function.
A first major structural component of the instant inventive water meter cover comprises a short length or segment of inexpensively obtained polyvinylchloride (PVC) plastic pipe.
A second major structural component of the instant invention comprises an inexpensively obtained PVC plastic pipe cap, such cap having an annular inner surface and being fitted for covering an end of a PVC pipe having a gauge matching that of the pipe segment.
In assembly of the instant inventive meter cover, a thin layer of an adhesive is disposed over the annular inner surface of the PVC pipe cap, or alternately, over the annular outer surface of the PVC pipe segment at such segment""s upper end. Immediately thereafter, the upper end of the PVC pipe segment is telescopingly and nestingly inserted upwardly into the concavity of the PVC pipe cap, such insertion allowing the thin adhesive layer to fixedly and permanently mount the pipe cap over the upper opening of the pipe segment.
A third major structural component of the instant inventive water meter cover comprises a first sheet of durable elastic foam material, preferably neoprene rubber. Preferably, said first sheet is rectangular and has a vertical dimension closely matching the vertical dimension of the PVC pipe segment.
In assembly of the instant invention, a second quantity of adhesive is disposed over the annular inner surface of the pipe segment or upon the outer surface of the elastic foam sheet. Immediately thereafter, the elastic foam sheet is placed and positioned annularly within the hollow bore of the PVC pipe segment, such positioning allowing such adhesive layer to fixedly and permanently position the elastic foam sheet as an annular lining of such bore. Preferably, the lateral dimension of the elastic foam sheet is closely fitted so that it extends completely and annularly about the circumference of the bore of the PVC pipe segment. Preferably, the opposing ends of such sheet abut each other, such abutment forming a weather sealing vertical seam. Suitably, such abutment may be adhesively joined, enhancing such joint""s weather sealing function.
A second sheet of impact absorbing elastic foam material, preferably neoprene rubber, is preferably similarly fixedly mounted upon the downwardly facing inner surface of the PVC pipe cap. Preferably, such second sheet of elastic foam is circular, matching the shape of the downwardly facing inner surface of the PVC pipe cap.
In use and operation of the instant inventive water meter cover, the lower opening of the cover is positioned directly over a water meter of the type described above, such positioning axially aligning the cover with the meter. Thereafter, the water meter cover is installed by manually pressing downwardly, causing the water meter to telescopingly extend upwardly into the water meter cover""s hollow concavity. Such downward pressing and upward telescoping installing motion is preferably continued at least until the lower annular base and mounting flange structures of the water meter lie within the water meter cover""s concavity. Preferably, such installing motion continues until an upper surface of the water meter""s housing or lid contacts the overlying sheet of impact absorbing elastic foam.
Preferably, the water meter cover is fitted for use upon a particular brand of water meter, such fitting preferably assuring that water meter cover""s inside diameter is slightly less than the outside diameters of the water meter housing""s annular mounting flange and annular base plate. As a result of such preferred fitted relationship, upon completion of the above described downward pressing and upward telescoping meter cover installation, the water meter""s annular base and mounting flange are positioned for outward extension into the first elastic foam sheet. Such outward extension deflects the inner surface of the first elastic foam sheet to an annular channel, such channel opening inwardly and extending outwardly from said sheet""s annular inner surface.
At the annular floor of such annular channel, the first sheet of elastic foam material tends to compressively press inwardly upon or annularly inwardly clamp upon the water meter""s annular base and mounting flange. Such clamping function securely and removably mounts the water meter cover upon the water meter housing. Also, at such annular floor of such channel, a hermetic weather seal is further provided.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention comprises provision of a water meter protecting cover which is economically fabricated or constructed through the provision of inexpensively obtained PVC plastic piping, a PVC plastic pipe cap, and elastic foam sheet material.
A further object of the present invention comprises the provision of such a cover which is mechanically simply constructed.
A further object of the present invention is the provision of such a cover having an elastic foam component which dually functions for weather sealing and for providing annular clamping support of the cover.